zone alarm || norton security?

zone alarm || norton security?

which one is prefered by most people?

i run a simple small home peer to peer network through a switch with adsl

i run an ftp server and use remote access

All PC's hav winXP Pro

 

First point: Windows XP includes a built-in firewall.

Use the Internet Connection Firewall to Secure Your Small Network

Beyond that...

How are you tied to the web - broadband (DSL/cable) or dial-up?

In the latter case, almost any firewall would do. Most script kiddies and hacker wannabes are turned off by the interminable waiting when trying to penetrate a dial-up-connected machine. If you're on a broadband connection, you're a juicier target because of the speed with which your ports can be probed.

In either case, only total lamers would consider it an accomplishment to hack a home computer. The primary reason for interest in home boxes is to launch DDOS attacks, and that requires clueless owners without anti-virus protection who install trojans by carelessly clicking on email and ICQ attachments, downloading infected files via KaZaa, etcetera.

In most real-world cases, a home computer or network kept free of unwelcome digital life forms, and with file-sharing disabled, is a poor target for the scum of the Earth that inhabit the underbelly of the Net, and firewalls are more for a sense of security than for actual protection.

FYI, here's a site that compares firewalls.

CNET reviews five personal firewalls

 

thnx,

i don't like xp firewall because it only stealths ports and when i open a port it stays open until i close it.

with zonealarm or norton, the port is opened only when something is listining

i know it pretty hard to access system using either firewall.



I was just wondering which firewall is prefered by most users

ie: features, resources, reliablilty, ease of use, ect...

 

I use BlackICE PC Protection, which is a combination of a firewall and IDS (Intrusion Detection System). I don't really expect to be targeted by the snot-nosed li'l twits, but I keep it running just to see what probes come my way. It's not terribly exciting.

It also includes an application monitor that flags any attempt by an unapproved program to run or connect to the Net. I have that turned off, inasmuch as I live alone and there's nothing on this machine that I didn't put there. In a multi-user home (especially with kids), it would be a useful feature.

ZoneAlarm is a good one for general use, and one can always spend the bucks for the pro version if more power is needed.

A good option if one is on cable/DSL and has an old PC lying around is a hardware firewall that trounces the software apps.

Welcome to the NetBSD/i386 Firewall Project

Here's more info on that option.

Linux firewalls from old PCs

 

zone alarm || norton security?

quote: > "I was just wondering which firewall is prefered by most users ie: features, resources, reliablilty, ease of use, ect... "

'Gasolene':

I have been running NIS for a couple of years, ZA free version for about 1.5 years, running both concurrently for the last 1.5 years. I do not have a network like you, so I would caution you to keep that in mind, but thought I would chip in my opinion on the stuff you asked about. Loooong story short, when NIS runs out, I am not going to re-up, and will upgrade to ZA pro.

Why? For me, NIS tech support was a REAL turn off, enough said. NIS does not (appear to) block anywhere near the number of intrusion attempts that ZA does, according to logs (THAT really concerns me…). ZA is preferable from the ease of use standpoint. ZA has an excellent support BBS, tons of info on it and good responses. There is a great shareware tool for ZA called ZoneLog that analyzes the log activity and so many other things that I will not attempt to go into it. Did I mention that NIS tech support was a REAL turn off (they would not explain the logging deficiency and danced around it like it was no big deal)? One plus for NIS, Symantec appears to have one of the better IP address tracers, but you could use that anyway. If you have questions or need links to any of the items mentioned here, let me know. Good luck, and remember to check into the network issue.

Also, I have yet to research the virus detection piece of the puzzle, as I have NAV coupled with the NIS, not sure what ZA does in that respect, or what I am going to do about NAV... Any comments anyone?

Does anyone else out there have any concerns about my take on the two firewalls?

 

ZoneAlarm and NAV: Keywester

I run NAV and ZoneAlarm concurrently on my non-networked system with no problems. I turn off ZoneAlarm's email checking, since NAV does that quite well. Hope this helps.

 

changing horses in middle of stream

Gasolene/All:

Guess I should revise my prior speculation that I would go to ZA pro (NOT!), since I now list KPF in my signature. Long story short, in addition to getting tricked into the upgrade to the ghastly ZA v3, when I attempted to revert to 2.6, I discovered that ZA, without warning, locks down your internet connection (totally blocks access), and that in order to get back to normal (imagine doing that without internet access...) I went through hell, having to eventually end up UNinstalling ZA (and left it that way...) and rebooting numerous times (about a two hour process). POINT: ZA "free" is not free, time is money (not to mention the non toll free number they put on the screen when they lock you out of internet access)... Speaking of time, since I uninstalled the ZA resource hog, I no longer have to sit thru 4 to 5 minutes of shutdown and startup times, that went down to labout 30 seconds, so ZA was costing me 4 minutes every time I cycled my PC...

Anyway, I did some research, and concluded that Kerio Personal Firewall was the better (lesser evil) free firewall, and so far I am satisfied with it, altho it does not yet have the third party bells and whistles (like ZoneLog, but not sure you really need that...).
But, I am no longer experiencing the disconnects, my system is running faster, I dont have to sit thru extended startup/shutdown times, and I have the illusion that I am somewhat protected from lowlife intruders. Good luck. Anyone else out there find a better free firewall? Agnitum's Outpost did look very intriguing, but I saw way too many negative personal critiques on it (BSOD's, etc...), still wondering if it would have been better than KPF...

 

Zone Alarm 2.6 not 30.

In conjunction with a router the bases are covered! More stable less resource usage than most of the rest.

In the surveys you will notice ZA always is on top.

Most of the problems that are mentioned about ZA come from 3.0.

Mike